11.25.2007
Gaming peripherals are nothing new, as anyone old enough to remember R.O.B., the U-Force or the Sega Activator will point out. However, compared to these archaic gimmicks, the gaming peripherals of today are more than just one-trick ponies designed to line the pockets of creative publishers. Right?
With the gaming industry booming, everyone seeks to develop the next hot title, grab a piece of the spotlight and ride this multi-billion dollar tidal wave to an early retirement. Surprisingly enough, quite a few peripherals are enjoying significant time in the spotlight. Harmonix is certainly cashing in on their admittedly original Guitar Hero series. Now, hot on the heels of its success, comes the next evolution in peripheral gaming: Rockband. What a novel idea, get together a few of your friends, duke it out over who gets to play the drums and, that argument settled, sit down to experience gaming ecstasy.
However, I can’t help but wonder, are these games pushing the industry forward, or forcing it to take a step backward? Arguably, next generation gaming took a chance by pushing the average price point for games beyond the $50 comfort zone. However, the transition has gone relatively smooth, as consumers seem to buy (no pun intended) the argument that you get more for your money in the form of high-definition graphics and deeper gameplay experiences. Still, peripheral-based games push the envelope even further, with games like Rockband setting you back $169.99 (almost console-level pricing) and that isn’t even the most expensive example. Steel Battalion premiered with its incredibly complex controller and an astonishing price tag of $199.99. Further compounding the problem, as we’ve seen with the Guitar Hero series, each new iteration generally heralds a new and improved peripheral controller to enhance your experience. Why rock out on yesterday’s corded guitar when you could be jamming away on that snazzy new wireless one?
Gaming peripherals have such a muddy history because designers fail to realize that a peripheral should enhance gameplay—which (admittedly) the instrument controllers for games like Guitar Hero and Rockband do. Remove the controllers, however, and what are you left with?
A mediocre rhythm game and a lower price tag.
Just like that, the hype is gone and your highly anticipated new release is a bargain-bin joke at Wal-Mart. Games like Guitar Hero and Rockband, while relatively original and creative, rely on hype for good sales numbers. That hype relies not on buzz about the actual gameplay, but on excitement over the controller you use to play the game. Once the hype fizzles, so do sales. Want to impress me with a peripheral? Show me a game that shines on its own—sans peripheral—and then bundle it with something that takes an already good game and transforms it into a must-have classic. Peripherals may line your wallet, but good gameplay trumps all.
Call me a purist, but I’ll take Pac-Man or Centipede over games like Rockband any day. Not getting my point? Chew on this:
Take away the flashy graphics, nifty controllers, licensed music and what are you left with? A revolutionary game where you press colored buttons in sequence with a given pattern. Thank you very much, but I grew bored of Simon in the '80's.
2 comments:
While I do agree with the crux of your argument, your analysis of Harmonix and Rock Band are misguided at best.
You praise it by saying htat it is innovative, but it really isn't, since the base gameplay and concept were done several years before by Konami's Bemani series of games. Which, in all fairness, Harmonix has been gracious enough to acknowledge.
Then you proceed to end your diatribe by slamming the two series by calling it nothing but a re-envisioning of Simon. You do realize that Simon is a game which tests your skill at memorization, right? Lights come up in an increasingly lengthy and rapid pattern and the player is expected to reproduce the pattern by memory. Rhythm games generally ask you to sight-read and play along as the notes/lights scroll by. While memorization of the notes is something that can be done, and is obviously helpful, I'd wager that the grand majority of the casual audience that has embraced this genre of late never get to that point. Most players tend to rely on being able to sight-read the notes and play along to the rhythm of the song playing.
Which is perfectly fine considering that these games aren't designed for memorization anyways.
Far be it from me to tell you what you should and shouldn't like. Hell, the more retro gamers that appreciate the old classics the better, in my opinion. Just try and make sure that when you're presenting an argument, that you fully understand the supporting examples you intend to use.
Andres,
I’m certainly not criticizing Harmonix for cashing in on a successful franchise (Guitar Hero) because, whether or not I personally enjoy the series, you cannot deny its success. I don’t blame Harmonix for trying to up the ante with Rockband because their bottom line is, well, their bottom line (i.e., profit). Expanding on the success of a proven foundation is just good business. However, since Harmonix is enjoying the spotlight I chose to use them and their games as an example, specifically because they’re recognizable. Also, keep in mind that my opinion and analysis stem from my perspective as a gamer, not as someone who has a financial stake in the company.
As far as any “praise” for these games, I feel the need to point out that “innovative” is your term, not mine. Are the games in question earth shattering in their originality? Of course not. Nothing has been original since Pong—every game since then has followed the same tired formula of using an input device to control on-screen actions. Back on point however, in terms of commercial success and consumer recognition, Guitar Hero and Rockband do stand out as different. Neither franchise is THE original, but they’re original nonetheless.
Regarding my comparison to Simon, I don’t think the connection could be any clearer. In both instances, you're mimicking a pattern dictated to you by the game. Whether you mime these patterns from memory or regurgitate them as they’re streamed before you is immaterial. No matter how you look at it, the base concept is the same.
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